science

I think the mutations may be for the better, though. First time I got it (2nd shot), I felt like dogshit. Brain fog, sore muscles, extreme fatigue, runny nose, chills, etc. Second time I got it I felt fine except a small amount of brain fog.

Indeed, I'm not sure even testing is sufficient. My family recently got it (my wife and I visiting my parents), but thought nothing of it for a week. My father had a sore throat, my mother had watery eyes and some nasal congestion. My father masked indoors (because I don't want a regular cold either) and chalked my mother's symptoms to seasonal allergies (the cars were covered with Pine pollen all week). Then, on the drive home, my wife felt off. 10 hours in the car together. She slept in the guest room that night and, just for grins, tested for Covid the next morning. She was positive. We called and had my parent's test - both positive. I tested negative so I packed my things and rented a hotel room for the week and worked there alone. I tested every other day and was never positive, but I cancelled all my client meetings.

I still never "got it" but...is it really feasible I didn't have some low level? This is my second trip in a car for multiple hours with someone who tested positive the next day. Granted, I'm about 4 vaccines in (2xOG, 1 updated, 1 XBB variant), but so is my wife. I have to think that I had some sub-clinical level of viral load, or at least below the antigen test threshold, but I'm thankful I escaped symptoms.

And sometimes mild enough to be mistaken for allergies

Same. I was so (oddly) proud of my streak. Then my spouse brought it home from a meeting with friends : P

Finally got it for the first time last week, tested positive on my wedding day 😭

Yeah, this is my 65-year-old aunt. Never got covid she says - and yet she's been sick more than once since 2019. She just never tests - so she never gets covid! Easy!